All for You
by Mercutio of Verona
Summary: An alternate-reality fic involving Zechs and the final battle...


  
  
  
All for You  
By Mercutio  
  
  
I'm going to kill it.  
  
Once and for all.  
  
I'm going to kill war.  
  
"Mr. Milliard? Are you quite all right?" I heard Dorothy ask.  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Excellent," Quinze said. "Shall we prepare to fire the beam?"  
  
I'm doing this for you.  
  
You know that, right?  
  
"Mr. Milliard?"  
  
All for you.  
  
"Mr. Milliard! Are you listening?" Quinze said, exasperated. "If we're going to pull this off, you'll have to keep your head out of the clo- what the hell?"  
  
"Oh my goodness!" Dorothy exclaimed with a squeal. "What do they think they're doing?" The Peacemillion was coming dangerously close to the Libra.  
  
Are you doing this for me?  
  
Are you trying to tell me something?  
  
Stop.  
  
I have to do this.  
  
For you.  
  
All for you.  
  
"They're attacking, aren't they?" Quinze asked nervously.  
  
"How could they? They know that their weapons are no match for the Libra. They couldn't even peel the paint, let alone destroy it." Dorothy said.  
  
...  
  
"I... don't think they plan on using the guns," said Quinze.  
  
"Sir! The Peacemillion is ramming the Libra!" someone yelled.  
  
"Shields are 90% for the main structure, 75% for the East and North Wings, 73% for the West and South Wings, and 59% for the Libra Cannon!" a technician said.  
  
"Back-up power confirmed. The resulting power loss will be no more than twenty seconds!"  
  
"Evacuation of the Libra is only at 2% of the population!"  
  
"We don't need to evacuate the entire ship. The only place they're aiming for is the-" My statement was cut off as we all fell to the floor with a deafening crash echoing in our ears.  
  
Why did you do this?  
  
I'm doing this all for you...  
  
The power was off for about ten seconds. I heard someone moan under me. I must have landed on Dorothy. I didn't even want to imagine how much she would enjoy that.  
  
When the lights flickered back on, I saw that I had. "Excuse me, Dorothy."  
  
"No problem at all, Mr. Milliard." she said with a smile. I grimaced.  
  
I'd never do this for her.  
  
But I'm doing it for you.  
  
All for you.  
  
"Power is back on to full, with the exception of the shields."  
  
"Main structure shield is at 87%. East Wing shield is at 69%, West and North Wing shields are at 72%, and the South shield is at 71%. Cannon shields are at 0%."  
  
"The Cannon is completely totaled. It can no longer function. Even if it could, the Peacemillion is jammed into it."  
  
"We have 16 dead and 29 injured in the Cannon section."  
  
"That loss will be nothing compared to the destruction Earth will face," I said grimly.  
  
"What? But how?" Quinze asked. "Those bastards destroyed our Cannon!"  
  
"Evacuate the Libra, and set its course for the Earth. It is large enough to cause nothing but death upon contact. It will destroy anything for miles around it, and throw up enough dust to block out the sun for centuries. It will cause a deadly ice age, ending all life... all wars.... all for you..."  
  
"Pardon, Mr. Milliard?" said Dorothy.  
  
"Nothing. I wasn't talking to you."  
  
"Oh... well, then, I'll be off to the Zero System."  
  
"You do that," I said. "Quinze, you maintain order here and make sure evacuation carries through. I'm going to be in the Epyon."  
  
"But why, sir? We need you in here!" he exclaimed.  
  
"It won't take Yui long to figure out what we're doing. And he'll demand to fight me. We need to end this once and for all," I said.  
  
And I might see you out there.  
  
And I can talk to you.  
  
So you'll know why I'm doing this.  
  
All for you.  
  
"Yes, sir." Quinze said.  
  
I took off in the Epyon. I knew that Treize would want to fight, but it seemed that he was busy with one of the Gundams, the Nantaku, it looked from where I was. Just as well.  
  
Now I can find him.  
  
And you.  
  
I saw no sign of Yui. The OZ and White Fang forces continued fighting relentlessly. We had only a slight advantage in numbers, but the Mobile Dolls were far more competent that Treize's men, providing Dorothy didn't get sloppy.  
  
Then I saw you.  
  
I didn't recognize you at first. I started to attack you before you called out my name.  
  
"Zechs!" you shouted. "Stop!"  
  
You.  
  
"Noin..." I said.  
  
"Zechs, why are you doing this? Have you-" you started to yell over the intercom.  
  
"Come with me, Noin," I beckoned.  
  
You paused.  
  
You're not sure if you can trust me.  
  
But you'll trust me when you learn who I'm doing this for.  
  
You.  
  
All for you.  
  
"All.... All right..." you said as you exited your Taurus. I opened the cockpit to let you in. Once inside, you slipped off your helmet, revealing your beautiful face, your sparkling eyes, and your graceful hair.  
  
"Zechs, please! Why are you doing this?" you asked again.  
  
"It's like the first time we met, in the cockpit of the Pandora, isn't it? You remember, don't you?" I asked.  
  
"Yes, of course. Zechs, how could I forget?"  
  
"And we started talking about war... I had just joined OZ then, after abdicating the throne of the Cinq Kingdom... and you said you wished that everyone could enjoy peace, all over the world."  
  
"Zechs..."  
  
"But you admitted that there was no practical way to obtain world peace, let alone maintain it. And at that moment, I had an idea. I would give you peace."  
  
Then you slapped me.  
  
Ow.  
  
"How could you?" you cried. "How could you do this to everyone? How could you do this to me? When I said I wanted peace, I didn't mean that I wanted it... like this!"  
  
But I'm doing this for you...  
  
All for you.  
  
"Zechs... please stop this," you pleaded. "I don't want it to end this way. I can't let you kill everyone for me."  
  
"...But I'm doing this for you."  
  
All for you.  
  
"And I just said that I don't want you to. If you want me to be happy, you'll stop this. Even then, I'm not sure if..." And then you burst into tears.  
  
"Noin..."   
  
"I'm not going to stop you, Zechs. I want you to change your mind on your own. But I'm not going to help you, either. I... I know you'll make the right choice."  
  
...  
  
"But... I... I don't know if I can stop it now..."  
  
"Zechs," you said. "I'll wait for you after the battle ends." And then you left and boarded your Taurus without looking back.  
  
"Mr. Milliard!" I heard Dorothy say over the intercom. "What are you doing? We need you to help fight!"  
  
"How is the evacuation going?" I asked her. Someone yelled something to her, but I couldn't hear.  
  
"There's only the workers in the control room, and then Quinze and I," she said.   
  
"I'm returning to the Libra for a moment," I said.   
  
"But Mr. Milliard, why would you ever do something like that? We need you out here!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Someone else needs me to be in there," I said.  
  
"For goodness' sake, Mr. Milliard, what on Earth do you mean?"  
  
Earth...  
  
I'm doing this for you, you know.  
  
All for you.  
  
"Mr. Milliard! Are you listening to me?"   
  
"No. I'm returning."  
  
"Dammit, Mr. Milliard, if you retreat, we'll never survive this-"  
  
"That's the plan."  
  
She stifled a gasp. "Are you betraying us, Mr. Milliard?" When I didn't reply, she continued. "It's just as well, I suppose. With or without you, it's still a war to die in."  
  
I think she expected me to ask her to continue to ask what she was talking about. When she realized that I was too busy to care at the moment, she shut up.  
  
Silence at last.  
  
I then noticed someone following me.  
  
Yui?  
  
No.  
  
Mobile Dolls.  
  
"I'm going to stop you, Mr. Milliard," said Dorothy. "I refuse to let White Fang die before the collision with Earth."  
  
"Dorothy, I am your superior officer! You can't do this to me!" I said.  
  
"You mean you are a TRAITOR!" she screamed. "I worked myself half to death preparing for and getting myself involved in this war. I will never, I repeat, NEVER let you take it away from me!"  
  
"This war isn't for you!" I said, dodging a blast from one of the Dolls.  
  
It was for you.  
  
All for you.  
  
But now, you don't want it.  
  
So I'm doing something else for you.  
  
"Oh really?" she asked. "Wars are never FOR someone! I don't know who you think you're making this war for, but it's just an excuse to let out your violent, angry side that was pent up by your days in the Cinq Kingdom, where you had pacifism forced down your throat and up your ass ever since you were born!"  
  
"I made this war for her."  
  
"All for her."  
  
"If you would have listened to my problems sometimes, Mr. Milliard, I might care. But I don't," Dorothy said, exasperated. "I'm going to kill you."  
  
The Mobile Dolls that she was controlling zoomed in on me. I was surrounded.   
  
"No escape, Mr. Milliard."   
  
I'm going to die.  
  
There's no way out of this.  
  
"Long live White Fang and the Libra."  
  
Those were the last words I heard before the Mobile Dolls came rushing towards me, lasers blasting.  
  
I readied my weapons, hoping that if I took some down in time, I might have a slim chance or survival. And then I watched in surprise as a Gundam swooped down and destroyed three. That provided me with an exit out of the closing circle of Mobile Dolls.   
  
Once I was out, I took a moment to look around. Who had saved me? I then recognized the Gundam.  
  
Yui.  
  
But why?  
  
"Noin told me not to fight you," he said. "She thought that she had talked some sense into you. I saw you in trouble. Neither she nor Relena would have liked to see you dead."  
  
"Yui..." I said, my voice wavering. "I know what I did-"  
  
"Don't," he interrupted. "Just go destroy the Libra."  
  
With that, I took off, and entered the Libra hanger. I could get to the control deck in just a few minutes, but I wasn't sure Dorothy or Quinze would buy the idea of destroying it.  
  
Before I even got there, I ran into Quinze himself.  
  
"I see I made a bad choice when I selected you to be the leader of White Fang," he said. He had a gun pointed towards me. "Dorothy told me that you were going to do something like this. Since I knew that you wouldn't be able to destroy it from the outside, I assumed I'd be able to meet and stop you here."  
  
He's stopping me too.  
  
He doesn't know why I'm doing this either.   
  
"Get out of my way, Quinze. I'm giving you a chance to evacuate the Libra before it's too late."  
  
"Too late?" he said. "Yes, maybe it is too late..." he paused for a moment.  
  
"No... the only one it is too late for is you and your traitorous ideals!" he said, opening fire. I dodged the bullet and slammed my body into him. Quinze's head smashed the hard metal wall and he slid down to the floor.  
  
...  
  
I continued through the Libra, until I made my way to the control room. Dorothy was in there waiting for me.   
  
"Dear Mr. Milliard, why are you doing this?" she asked with a façade of politeness. I noticed that she had a rapier help by her side. I should have taken Quinze's gun.   
  
She doesn't get it.  
  
I'm doing it for you.  
  
"Stand aside, Dorothy. Don't prolong the inevitable." I said.  
  
"Hehehe..." she giggled. "I never knew you had such a vain streak in you, Mr. Milliard. Nothing is inevitable. You may destroy the Libra... and I may stop you."  
  
Suddenly, an announcement came out over the intercom. "Attention! The Gundam pilots are inside the Libra! Everyone be on guard!"  
  
"Why haven't they evacuated yet?" Dorothy demanded. "Don't they realize that they will die when we crash this ship into the Earth?" She paused for a moment. "No matter... I will deal with you, and then deal with the Gundams... and then pilot the Libra into the Earth as the Goddess of Doom, bringing a swift fate to all the Earthlings."   
  
I tried charging past her to reach the controls to press the self-detonation button. She didn't try to stop me this time. She must have come up with a new strategy.  
  
"Mr. Milliard, remember when you said that the goal of this war was to create peace? You wanted to create a war so terrible that no one would ever forget it. Do you really expect to be able to show the colonies how to live peacefully if they have no terrible war to remember? Destroying the Libra won't work. You must destroy the Earth!"  
  
"I'm not doing this for the colonies."   
  
"Then the Cinq Kingdom. The rulers have been advocates of peace for as long as anyone could remember. But their methods of peace-enforcement were always easily foiled, as wars continuously broke out. The Cinq Kingdom no longer exists, but with this one war, you could finally make its dream a reality."  
  
"I'm not doing this for the Cinq Kingdom."  
  
"Then your sister. I know Miss Relena doesn't approve of your actions, but she will realize just how noble they are once you clear away the Earthly blemish that mars the potential peace of Outer Space."  
  
"I'm not doing this for Relena."  
  
"Yourself, Mr. Milliard? As the former prince of the Cinq Kingdom, one would think that you would have a truly peaceful life. But alas, due to your involvement in OZ, you have denied yourself that. Do it for yourself, Mr- Prince Milliard. Experience the peace that you were born to have."  
  
"I'm not doing it for myself."  
  
"Then who, Mr. Milliard?" she finally asked, exasperated.  
  
"I'm doing it for..."  
  
You.  
  
"All for her..."  
  
All for you.  
  
"Excuse me? I don't understand. If you're going to be ending the war that I've tried ever so hard to maintain, I think I have a right to know why."  
  
"Because Noin wants me to..."  
  
"I'm doing it for her."  
  
Dorothy laughed contemptuously. "Oh dear, Mr. Milliard. You shouldn't let love on the battlefield! Keep your heart where it belongs, and end this foolish game."  
  
"I started this godforsaken war for her. And I'm going to end it, too." I finally said as I opened the panel that guarded the self-destruct button.  
  
"Stop!" Dorothy said, swinging her rapier at me, I swung a foot out and tripped her before she could get to me and she fell to the floor on top of it. She let out a beastly shriek before she collapsed.  
  
[ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO SELF-DESTRUCT?] the machine blared at me. [PLEASE PRESS (YES) TO CONTINUE OR (NO) TO CANCEL.]  
  
(YES).  
  
"Mr. Milliard... don't..." Dorothy said weakly.  
  
[PLEASE ENTER PASSWORD TO CONTINUE.] A keypad appeared, with numbers and mathematical symbols on it. I tried to recall the code.  
  
I remember thinking of you.  
  
"Please, Mr. Milliard, rethink this," Dorothy cried.  
  
Now I remember.  
  
The symbols appeared on the screen as I typed them in.  
  
[6 + 9]  
  
...  
  
[ARE YOU REALLY SURE YOU WANT TO SELF-DESTRUCT? IF YOU PRESS (YES), YOU CANNOT REVERSE THE SELF-DESTRUCTION PROCESS. PRESS NO TO CANCEL.]  
  
(YES).  
  
[THE SHIP WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE MINUTES AND COUNTING.]  
  
Suddenly, the intercom system started up. "PLEASE EVACUATE. THE SHIP WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE MINUTES AND COUNTING. PLEASE EVACUATE."  
  
"Oh, Mr. Millard..." Dorothy wailed. "We were so close..."  
  
...  
  
I did it.  
  
All for you.  
  
I ran through the halls to the hanger as quickly as I could. The intercom announced the time left every fifteen seconds, making me nervous. There were only a few people evacuating. All the others either left the first time they were ordered to evacuate, or wanted to go down with the ship.   
  
I passed Quinze near the hanger. He was just standing there, looking over the rail at the people leaving in Mobile Suits and escape shuttles. His head was also bleeding badly.  
  
"You did it, didn't you, Mr. Milliard?" he asked without turning around.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I knew you would... you betrayed us, Mr. Milliard."  
  
"Get out while you can, Quinze. There's still plenty of Mobile Suits."  
  
He still didn't turn. "You were right... it is too late," he said. He then collapsed on the floor.  
  
I ran to the Epyon, and jumped inside with a minute and a half to go.  
  
Must hurry.  
  
It wouldn't start.  
  
No...  
  
I can't die now... I want to see you again.  
  
Because I did this for you.  
  
All for you.  
  
I tried starting it up again. It still failed.  
  
...  
  
Start, dammit!  
  
I was running out of time. I quickly jumped out of the Epyon and ran to one of the spare Mobile Suits. I was reluctant to leave it there, but seeing you again was at the top of my list of priorities.  
  
I took one last look back as I launched off in the Mobile Suit. The Libra seemed to hang in space for a moment and then exploded into a brilliant ball of light and flame and faded away like a wilting flower.  
  
...I...I did it...  
  
"All for you."  
  
I flew through space, looking for your Taurus while confusion reigned over the battlefield. No one was fighting. Even the Mobile Dolls were just standing, motionless.  
  
I finally found you, on the corner of the battlefield.  
  
"Noin... Is that you?" I asked over the intercom.  
  
"...Zechs?" you asked. You then paused for a moment. "Oh, Zechs!" I could hear you crying. "You... you did it..."  
  
I opened the door to my cockpit and floated out towards you. The Taurus' cockpit opened right away, admitting me inside.  
  
I could see the tears shining on your face. "Oh, Zechs... I wasn't sure if you would do it... and then the Libra exploded, but I didn't see the Epyon come out... I thought you were dead!"  
  
I almost was.  
  
Several times.  
  
"But I never lost faith in you, Zechs..."  
  
"But now what?" I asked. "Although it was... sort of a cover-up, the White Fang's mission to stop the Romefellers from taking over the world. Now what are we going to do?"  
  
You paused again. "His Excellency was killed in battle, Zechs. He was the last powerful Romefeller, and when he died, the Foundation dispersed, and OZ was left without an ally in a four-way war."  
  
I was shocked. I had known Treize all my life. Even with him one the other side of the battle, I couldn't imagine his being gone.   
  
"Colonel Une took charge, and she surrendered to White Fang. I thought you knew that."  
  
"Neither Dorothy nor Quinze told me. They must have decided to keep it from me since I wasn't exactly on their side any more."  
  
"Peacemillion joined with OZ for the moment, but Une had already surrendered and it was too late. But then the Libra was destroyed, so I don't know who's in charge any more."  
  
"They surrendered to White Fang. That means I am in control of what happens next," I said.  
  
You looked at me nervously. "Are you sure you know what you're doing, Zechs?"   
  
"Will I be able to reach Earth on this communicator?" I asked. You nodded, so I looked into the camera and spoke into it.  
  
"Attention, everyone. As the leader of White Fang, and therefore the owner of my prisoners OZ and its ally Peacemillion, I have an announcement to make. Since the Romefeller Foundation is no more and OZ and Peacemillion captives, I believe that puts me in control of the world. Anyone opinion that contradicts that point will not be received warmly."  
  
"Zechs, what are you doing?"  
  
"The Earth and colonies have been through a long period of bloodshed. Uncountable priceless lives have been lost. Therefore, I believe that the world truly needs peace right now. I have proven myself neither capable of achieving peace nor maintaining it. However, I know someone who can do this. As the leader of the colonies and the Earth, I hear by appoint my sister Relena Dorlian-Peacecraft as the Chief Representative of the colonies and the Earth. They are to exist in unity, and any strife between them is to be handled by her. She may resign when she wishes, and may appoint anyone else to replace or serve under her."  
  
You looked at me fondly. "Oh, Zechs, you really did find the right thing to do..."   
  
"Everyone, man or woman, pacifist or warrior, Earthling or colonist, salute Chief Representative Relena Dorlian-Peacecraft of the... the... the World Nation!"  
  
I sat down in the seat. "I... I told you I'd bring you peace."  
  
"Oh, Zechs!" you said as you jumped into my arms. "Thank you..."  
  
A message suddenly came up on the screen. "Milliard?" I heard Relena's voice ask.   
  
"Relena?"  
  
"I... I know that some of your methods were a little beyond the Peacecraft standard... but you ended up doing the right thing in the end. Thank you, Milliard."  
  
"Thank you, Relena."  
  
I saw Yui appear behind her. "I... I have to go, Milliard. Goodbye!" And then the transmission ended.  
  
"Isn't that cute?" you said. "It is like that evening on the Pandora."  
  
"We were quite a bit older, though." I said.  
  
"Of course. I should certainly hope so, all things considered," you said, laughing.  
  
...  
  
"Well, should we return to Earth or one of the colonies, Noin?" I asked.   
  
You smiled that sweet smile. "I think I just want to stay here for a little bit longer. Something like this doesn't happen often. We should enjoy the moment while we can."  
  
"All right... that's a good idea," I said as I held you close.  
  
I did it.  
  
I did it for you.  
  
All for you.  
  
  
~FIN~  
  
  
Well, another strange fic fulled out of the deep recesses of my mind has been finished. I enjoyed writing this (and mostly during school, hehe). However, this story is not yet finished (*gasp*). If you [dis]liked this, you'll be [dis]pleased to know that  
the prequel, "Pandora's Box" will be available in about two weeks to disgrace myself all over again.  
  
I'd like to thank Ez again for reading this in the early stages, and also for badgering me for writing an alternate-reality fic for so long. ZealPropht also was nice and gave me happy support every now and then. ^_^  
  
Oh, and all you readers out there better write a damn review, too. I don't care if it's good or bad, as long as it's SOMETHING.  
  
Well, I guess that's it for now.  
  
~Mercutio 


End file.
